Ask An Expert: Sleep Apnea and Sex

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Ask An Expert: Sleep Apnea and Sex

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Question:

Does sleep apnea affect sexual dysfunction?

Answer:

Sleep apnea is one component of a group of disorders known as "sleep disordered breathing." It involves multiple episodes of periodic cessation or nearly complete stopping of breathing during sleep.

Many patients with sleep apnea are overweight or obese. They also can have lung disease, heart disease or both. Many will demonstrate high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms.

Decreased sexual drive (libido) and erectile dysfunction may definitely accompany sleep apnea in males and loss of libido in females. It is likely that abnormalities in sexual function will be related to the sleep apnea itself and its complications. The sleep apnea often causes marked drowsiness during the day. The vascular complications from sleep apnea will contribute to erectile dysfunction.

Research is just beginning to determine the optimal management of sexual dysfunction in patients with sleep apnea. Men with erectile dysfunction and sleep apnea need to be cautious when considering the usual drugs. They should only be taken after consultation with the doctor, since many men have cardiac disorders that may exclude the use of these medicines.

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Last updated:	April 23, 2007
Reviewed By:	Faculty of Harvard Medical School

Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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